Margaret Brown
Encyclopedia
Margaret Brown (July 18, 1867 – October 26, 1932) was an American
socialite
, philanthropist
, and activist
who became famous due to her involvement with the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, after exhorting the crew of lifeboat 6
to return to look for survivors. It is unclear whether any survivors were found after life boat 6 returned to search. She became known after her death as The Unsinkable Molly Brown, although she was not called Molly during her life. Her friends called her Maggie.
, Missouri
, one of four children born to Irish immigrants John Tobin (1820–1899) and Johanna Collins (1825–1905). Her siblings were Daniel (born 1863), William (born 1869), and Helen (born 1871). Added to these, Margaret had two half-sisters: Catherine Bridget Tobin, by her father's first marriage, and Mary Ann Collins, by her mother's first marriage. Both her mother and father had been widowed young.
At age 18, Margaret relocated to Leadville, Colorado
with her sister, and got a job in a department store. It was here she met and married James Joseph Brown
(1854–1922), nicknamed J.J., an enterprising, self-educated man. His parents, too, had emigrated from Ireland. Brown had always planned to marry a rich man but she married J.J. for love. She said,
Margaret and J.J. were married in Leadville's Annunciation Church on
September 1, 1886. The Browns had two children:
The family acquired great wealth when J.J.'s engineering
efforts proved instrumental in the production of a substantial ore seam at the Little Jonny Mine of his employers, Ibex Mining Company, and he was awarded 12,500 shares of stock and a seat on the board.
In Leadville, Margaret first became involved with the women's suffrage issue, helping to establish the Colorado chapter of the National American Woman Suffrage Association
and working in soup kitchen
s to assist miners' families.
In 1894, the Browns moved to Denver
, Colorado
, which gave the family more social opportunities. Margaret became a charter member of the Denver Woman's Club, whose mission was the improvement of women's lives by continuing education and philanthropy. In 1901, she was one of the first students to enroll at the in New York
. Adjusting to the trappings of a society lady, Brown became well-immersed in the arts and fluent in French, German, and Russian. In 1909 she ran for the U.S. Senate.
After 23 years of marriage, Margaret and J.J. privately signed a separation agreement in 1909. Although they never reconciled, they continued to communicate and cared for each other throughout their lives. The agreement gave Margaret a cash settlement and she maintained possession of the house on Pennsylvania Street in Denver. She also received $700 a month allowance (equal to $ today) to continue her travels and social work.
Margaret assisted in the fund-raising for Denver's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
which was completed in 1911. Margaret worked with Judge Lindsey to help destitute children and establish the United States
' first juvenile court
which helped form the basis of the modern U.S. juvenile courts system.
Margaret ran for Senate again in 1914 but ended her campaign when her sister Helen married a German baron, as Margaret believed that the union would have made a successful campaign impossible.
Margaret was conveyed to the passenger liner
RMS Titanic as a first class passenger aboard the tender SS Nomadic at Cherbourg, France
. The Titanic sank early on April 15, 1912 after striking an iceberg
the night before. Margaret helped others board the lifeboats but was finally convinced to leave the ship in Lifeboat No. 6
. She would later be regarded as a heroine for her efforts to get Lifeboat 6 to go back to search for survivors. Molly Brown was dubbed "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" by historians because she helped in the ship's evacuation, taking an oar herself in her lifeboat and protesting for the lifeboat to go back to try and save more people.
This was met with strong opposition from Quartermaster Robert Hichens, the crewman in charge of Lifeboat 6, who was fearful that if they did go back, the lifeboat would either be pulled down due to suction, or the people in the water would swamp the boat in an effort to get inside. Sources vary as to whether the boat did go back and if they found anyone alive when they did. Some reports say that survivors were found.
In James Cameron's 1997 movie, Lifeboat 6 did return to save other passengers.
Her fame as a well-known Titanic survivor helped her promote the issues she felt strongly about—the rights of workers and women, education and literacy for children, historic preservation, and commemoration of the bravery and chivalry displayed by the men aboard the Titanic. During World War I
in France
, she worked with the American Committee for Devastated France to rebuild areas behind the front line and helped wounded French and American soldiers. She was awarded the French Legion of Honour for her good citizenship including her activism and philanthropy in America. During the last years of her life, she was an actress.
Margaret Tobin Brown died in her room at the Barbizon Hotel for Women
in New York City
on October 26, 1932, at age 65. The death certificate gave the cause of death as cerebral hemorrhage, but an autopsy found a significant brain tumor. After she died (during the Great Depression), her two children sold her estate for $6,000, equal to $ today. She is buried in the Cemetery of the Holy Rood
in Westbury, New York
.
Walk of Fame in 2006 in Marshfield, Missouri
. Her great granddaughter, Helen Benziger McKinney, accepted the star on her behalf. Helen continues to travel the country speaking about her great grandmother.
Margaret's residence, now the Molly Brown House Museum, is a tourist attraction in Denver, Colorado.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
socialite
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
, philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
, and activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
who became famous due to her involvement with the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, after exhorting the crew of lifeboat 6
Titanic Lifeboat No. 6
Titanic Lifeboat No. 6 was the third lifeboat to be launched during the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic. Well-known for being the lifeboat that carried "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", No...
to return to look for survivors. It is unclear whether any survivors were found after life boat 6 returned to search. She became known after her death as The Unsinkable Molly Brown, although she was not called Molly during her life. Her friends called her Maggie.
Early life
Born Margaret Tobin in HannibalHannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, one of four children born to Irish immigrants John Tobin (1820–1899) and Johanna Collins (1825–1905). Her siblings were Daniel (born 1863), William (born 1869), and Helen (born 1871). Added to these, Margaret had two half-sisters: Catherine Bridget Tobin, by her father's first marriage, and Mary Ann Collins, by her mother's first marriage. Both her mother and father had been widowed young.
At age 18, Margaret relocated to Leadville, Colorado
Leadville, Colorado
Leadville is a Statutory City that is the county seat of, and the only municipality in, Lake County, Colorado, United States. Situated at an elevation of , Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States...
with her sister, and got a job in a department store. It was here she met and married James Joseph Brown
James Joseph Brown
James Joseph "J.J." Brown , mining engineer, inventor, and self-made member of fashionable "society", was born in Waymart, Pennsylvania. His wife was RMS Titanic survivor Molly Brown....
(1854–1922), nicknamed J.J., an enterprising, self-educated man. His parents, too, had emigrated from Ireland. Brown had always planned to marry a rich man but she married J.J. for love. She said,
Margaret and J.J. were married in Leadville's Annunciation Church on
September 1, 1886. The Browns had two children:
- Lawrence Palmer Brown ("Larry"), was born on August 30, 1887 in Hannibal, MissouriHannibal, MissouriHannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
. He married Eileen Elizabeth Horton (1890–1985) on January 1, 1911 in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. They had two children: Lawrence Palmer "Pat" Brown, Jr. (1911–1976) and Eileen Elizabeth "Betty" Brown (1913–1974). The marriage failed and Larry married Mildred Gregory (1895–1956) on November 17, 1926 in Beverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
. This marriage produced no other children. Larry died on April 2, 1949. - Catherine Ellen Brown ("Helen"), was born on July 1, 1889 in Leadville, ColoradoLeadville, ColoradoLeadville is a Statutory City that is the county seat of, and the only municipality in, Lake County, Colorado, United States. Situated at an elevation of , Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States...
. She married George Joseph Peter Adelheid Benziger (1877–?) on April 7, 1913 in Chicago, Illinois. Her children were James George Benziger (1914–1995) and George Peter Joseph Adelrich Benziger (1917–1985). Helen died in 1969.
The family acquired great wealth when J.J.'s engineering
Mining engineering
Mining engineering is an engineering discipline that involves the practice, the theory, the science, the technology, and application of extracting and processing minerals from a naturally occurring environment. Mining engineering also includes processing minerals for additional value.Mineral...
efforts proved instrumental in the production of a substantial ore seam at the Little Jonny Mine of his employers, Ibex Mining Company, and he was awarded 12,500 shares of stock and a seat on the board.
In Leadville, Margaret first became involved with the women's suffrage issue, helping to establish the Colorado chapter of the National American Woman Suffrage Association
National American Woman Suffrage Association
The National American Woman Suffrage Association was an American women's rights organization formed in May 1890 as a unification of the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association...
and working in soup kitchen
Soup kitchen
A soup kitchen, a bread line, or a meal center is a place where food is offered to the hungry for free or at a reasonably low price. Frequently located in lower-income neighborhoods, they are often staffed by volunteer organizations, such as church groups or community groups...
s to assist miners' families.
In 1894, the Browns moved to Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, which gave the family more social opportunities. Margaret became a charter member of the Denver Woman's Club, whose mission was the improvement of women's lives by continuing education and philanthropy. In 1901, she was one of the first students to enroll at the in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Adjusting to the trappings of a society lady, Brown became well-immersed in the arts and fluent in French, German, and Russian. In 1909 she ran for the U.S. Senate.
After 23 years of marriage, Margaret and J.J. privately signed a separation agreement in 1909. Although they never reconciled, they continued to communicate and cared for each other throughout their lives. The agreement gave Margaret a cash settlement and she maintained possession of the house on Pennsylvania Street in Denver. She also received $700 a month allowance (equal to $ today) to continue her travels and social work.
Margaret assisted in the fund-raising for Denver's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Denver
The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Denver of Roman Catholic Church. It is located at the corner of Logan St. and Colfax Avenue in the North Capitol Hill neighborhood of central Denver. The cathedral has a capacity of 800 persons and hosts...
which was completed in 1911. Margaret worked with Judge Lindsey to help destitute children and establish the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' first juvenile court
Juvenile court
A juvenile court is a tribunal having special authority to try and pass judgments for crimes committed by children or adolescents who have not attained the age of majority...
which helped form the basis of the modern U.S. juvenile courts system.
Margaret ran for Senate again in 1914 but ended her campaign when her sister Helen married a German baron, as Margaret believed that the union would have made a successful campaign impossible.
Aboard the Titanic
Superliner (passenger ship)
A superliner is an ocean liner of over 10,000 gross tons. The term was coined in the late 19th century, when ocean liners were rapidly increasing in size and speed...
RMS Titanic as a first class passenger aboard the tender SS Nomadic at Cherbourg, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The Titanic sank early on April 15, 1912 after striking an iceberg
Iceberg
An iceberg is a large piece of ice from freshwater that has broken off from a snow-formed glacier or ice shelf and is floating in open water. It may subsequently become frozen into pack ice...
the night before. Margaret helped others board the lifeboats but was finally convinced to leave the ship in Lifeboat No. 6
Titanic Lifeboat No. 6
Titanic Lifeboat No. 6 was the third lifeboat to be launched during the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic. Well-known for being the lifeboat that carried "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", No...
. She would later be regarded as a heroine for her efforts to get Lifeboat 6 to go back to search for survivors. Molly Brown was dubbed "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" by historians because she helped in the ship's evacuation, taking an oar herself in her lifeboat and protesting for the lifeboat to go back to try and save more people.
This was met with strong opposition from Quartermaster Robert Hichens, the crewman in charge of Lifeboat 6, who was fearful that if they did go back, the lifeboat would either be pulled down due to suction, or the people in the water would swamp the boat in an effort to get inside. Sources vary as to whether the boat did go back and if they found anyone alive when they did. Some reports say that survivors were found.
In James Cameron's 1997 movie, Lifeboat 6 did return to save other passengers.
Later life
At the time of J.J.'s death on September 5, 1922, Margaret told newspapers, "I've never met a finer, bigger, more worthwhile man than J.J. Brown." J.J. died without a will and it required five years of disputation between Maggie and her two children finally to settle the estate. Due to their lavish spending J.J. left an estate valued at only $238,000, equal to $ today. Maggie was to receive $20,000 in cash and securities (equal to $ today), and the interest on a $100,000 trust fund (equal to $ today) in her name. Her children, Lawrence and Helen, received the rest. From that time through her death in 1932, Maggie had no contact with her children.World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, she worked with the American Committee for Devastated France to rebuild areas behind the front line and helped wounded French and American soldiers. She was awarded the French Legion of Honour for her good citizenship including her activism and philanthropy in America. During the last years of her life, she was an actress.
Margaret Tobin Brown died in her room at the Barbizon Hotel for Women
Barbizon Hotel for Women
The Barbizon Hotel for Women, now known as Barbizon 63, was symbolic of the cultural change as women began to come to New York City for professional opportunities, but still wanted a "safe retreat" that felt like the family home...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on October 26, 1932, at age 65. The death certificate gave the cause of death as cerebral hemorrhage, but an autopsy found a significant brain tumor. After she died (during the Great Depression), her two children sold her estate for $6,000, equal to $ today. She is buried in the Cemetery of the Holy Rood
Cemetery of the Holy Rood
The Cemetery of the Holy Rood is a Roman Catholic cemetery located in Westbury, New York. The cemetery, established in 1930, is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre.-History:...
in Westbury, New York
Westbury, New York
Westbury incorporated in 1932 as a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 15,146 at the 2010 census.The Village of Westbury is in the Town of North Hempstead....
.
Legacy
Margaret was commemorated as a famous Missourian on the MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Walk of Fame in 2006 in Marshfield, Missouri
Marshfield, Missouri
Marshfield is a city in Webster County, Missouri, United States. The population was 6,633 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat and part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
. Her great granddaughter, Helen Benziger McKinney, accepted the star on her behalf. Helen continues to travel the country speaking about her great grandmother.
Margaret's residence, now the Molly Brown House Museum, is a tourist attraction in Denver, Colorado.
Portrayals
- Thelma RitterThelma RitterThelma Ritter was an American supporting and character actress from the 1940s until her death in 1969.-Early life:...
(1953) (TitanicTitanic (1953 film)Titanic is a 1953 American drama film directed by Jean Negulesco. Its plot centers on an estranged couple sailing on the maiden voyage of the , which took place in April 1912.-Plot:...
) Margaret Brown's name was changed to Maude Young, and her Colorado silver mining fortune became a Montana lead mining fortune. - Cloris LeachmanCloris LeachmanCloris Leachman is an American actress of stage, film and television. She has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards—more than any other performer—and one Daytime Emmy Award...
(1957) (Telephone TimeTelephone TimeTelephone Time is the title of a US TV drama series that aired from 1956 to 1958 featuring plays by John Nesbitt who hosted the first season. Frank C. Baxter hosted the 1957 and 1958 seasons...
) ("The Unsinkable Molly Brown") - Tucker McGuire (1958) (A Night to Remember)
- Tammy GrimesTammy Grimes-Early life:Grimes was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, the daughter of Eola Willard , a naturalist and spiritualist, and Nicholas Luther Grimes, an innkeeper, country-club manager, and farmer. She attended high school at the then-all girls school, Beaver Country Day School, in Chestnut Hill,...
(1960) (The Unsinkable Molly BrownThe Unsinkable Molly Brown (musical)The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a musical with music and lyrics by Meredith Willson and book by Richard Morris. The plot is a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Brown, who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and her wealthy miner-husband....
) (Broadway musical) Grimes won a Tony Award for her performance. - Debbie ReynoldsDebbie ReynoldsDebbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...
(1964) (The Unsinkable Molly Brown) Reynolds received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. - Cloris LeachmanCloris LeachmanCloris Leachman is an American actress of stage, film and television. She has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards—more than any other performer—and one Daytime Emmy Award...
(1979) (S.O.S. TitanicS.O.S. TitanicS.O.S. Titanic is a 1979 television movie that depicts the doomed 1912 voyage from the perspective of three distinct groups of passengers in First, Second, and Third Class, and respectively in a historically accurate fashion...
) (TV movie) - Fionnula Flanagan (1983) (Voyagers!Voyagers!Voyagers! is an American science fiction time travel-based television series that aired on NBC during the 1982–1983 season. The series stars Jon-Erik Hexum and Meeno Peluce.-Plot:...
) ("Voyagers of the Titanic") - Marilu HennerMarilu HennerMary Lucy Denise "Marilu" Henner is an American actress, producer and author. She is best known for her role as Elaine O'Connor Nardo on the sitcom Taxi from 1978 to 1983.-Early life:...
(1996) (TitanicTitanic (TV miniseries)Titanic is a made-for-TV movie that premièred on CBS in 1996. Titanic follows several characters on board the RMS Titanic when she sinks on her maiden voyage in 1912. The miniseries was directed by Robert Lieberman. The original music score was composed by Lennie Niehaus...
) (TV miniseries) - Kathy BatesKathy BatesKathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
(1997) (TitanicTitanic (1997 film)Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
) - Morgan Hill (1998) (Titanic: Secrets Revealed) (TV documentary)
- Judy Prestininzi (2003) (Ghosts of the AbyssGhosts of the AbyssGhosts of the Abyss is a 2003 documentary film released by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media. It was Disney's first film produced in 3-D and was directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker James Cameron after his Oscar winning film Titanic...
) (Documentary) - Judy Prestininzi (2005) (Last Mysteries of the Titanic) (TV documentary)
- Linda KashLinda KashLinda Kash is a Canadian actress.An alumna of Second City, she played Trudy Weissman in the 1998 Jean Smart sit-com, Style & Substance...
(2012) (TitanicTitanic (TV series)Titanic is a television costume drama based on the sinking of the RMS Titanic. It is one of two large budget television dramas set to be released in April 2012, the centenary of the disaster. The other is Titanic: Blood and Steel.-Overview:...
) (TV series/2 episodes)
See also
- Molly Brown HouseMolly Brown HouseThe Molly Brown House Museum is a house located at 1340 Pennsylvania Street in Denver, Colorado, United States that was the home of American philanthropist, socialite, and activist Margaret Brown. Brown was known as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" because she survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic...
- The Unsinkable Molly BrownThe Unsinkable Molly Brown (musical)The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a musical with music and lyrics by Meredith Willson and book by Richard Morris. The plot is a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Brown, who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and her wealthy miner-husband....
: 1960 musical with the central character based on the life of Margaret Brown. - The Unsinkable Molly Brown: 1964 film based on the musical.
- A Night to Remember: 1958 film.
- TitanicTitanic (1997 film)Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
: 1997 film. - TitanicTitanic (TV miniseries)Titanic is a made-for-TV movie that premièred on CBS in 1996. Titanic follows several characters on board the RMS Titanic when she sinks on her maiden voyage in 1912. The miniseries was directed by Robert Lieberman. The original music score was composed by Lennie Niehaus...
: TV miniseries.
External links
- Margaret Brown On Titanic-Titanic.com
- Margaret Brown Death Certificate On Titanic-Titanic.com
- List of passengers and crew of RMS Titanic
- Pay tribute to Molly Brown
- Molly Brown House Museum, Denver